AuthorTopic: The Zombies (Read 4302 times)

The group formed in 1962 in St Albans, Hertfordshire, England, and gained their initial reputation playing the Old Verulamians Rugby Club in that city. The band was formed while the members were at school. Some sources state that Argent, Atkinson and Grundy were at St Albans School, while Blunstone and White were students at St Albans Boys' Grammar School (since renamed Verulam School). Argent was a boy chorister in St Albans Cathedral Choir.

Their choice of names was out of desperation, and the Zombies won out over Chatterley and the Gamekeepers, according to Blunstone and White. After winning a beat-group competition sponsored by the London Evening News, they signed to Decca and recorded their first hit, "She's Not There" (Argent's second song, written specifically for this session). It was released in mid-1964 and peaked at number 12 in the UK, their only UK Top 40 hit. This minor-key, jazz-tinged number, distinguished by its musicianship and Blunstone's breathy vocal, was unlike anything heard in British rock at the time. It was first aired in the United States in early August 1964 on New York City rock station WINS by Stan Z. Burns, who debuted the song on his daily noontime "Hot Spot". The tune began to catch on in early fall and eventually climbed to No.2 in early December. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Zombies

One of my very favorite bands too, it's easily in my Top 10 despite their relatively short catalog. Odessey And Oracle is a Top 3 album for me, along with Rubber Soul and Revolver. A collection of their singles released before that masterpiece is also essential for any fan of the band. It's curious the fact that they had much more success in US than in UK. They had three Top 10 hits in America: "She's Not There" (#2), "Tell Her No" (#6) and "Time Of The Season" (#3); not bad. I guess British people preferred the Hollies, a very good band, but they can't hold a "brief candle" to the Zombies in my opinion.

The As and Bs collection is wonderful and begs the question why Gold Radio stations only play two of their songs (She's Not There, Time of the Season). Music radio could be superb if ALL the back catalogue of groups like The Zombies, Them, The Lovin' Spoonful, The Spencer Davis Group etc. was used.

I've always thought that a Beatles' As and Bs compilation would be a worthwhile release, 22 As on CD 1, 22 Bs on CD 2.

The As and Bs collection is wonderful and begs the question why Gold Radio stations only play two of their songs (She's Not There, Time of the Season). Music radio could be superb if ALL the back catalogue of groups like The Zombies, Them, The Lovin' Spoonful, The Spencer Davis Group etc. was used.

I've always thought that a Beatles' As and Bs compilation would be a worthwhile release, 22 As on CD 1, 22 Bs on CD 2.

At least three A's & B's collections by the Zombies have been released actually. My favorite is this:

I like it because it includes every single they released before Odessey And Oracle, begining with 11 A-sides and finishing with the respective 11 B-sides, in chronological order. This collection includes the single "I Want Her Back" (a.k.a. "I Want You Back Again")/"I Remember When I Loved Her", only released in US in 1965 and omited in the collection mentioned by Kelley. I think this compilation plus a release of Odessey And Oracle that includes at least "I'll Call You Mine" and "Imagine The Swan" as bonus tracks, make a pretty decent summary of the Zombies' recordings for a fan. If one wants more than that, then the four-CDs compilation Zombie Heaven gives you practically everything they ever recorded.

The As and Bs collection is wonderful and begs the question why Gold Radio stations only play two of their songs (She's Not There, Time of the Season). Music radio could be superb if ALL the back catalogue of groups like The Zombies, Them, The Lovin' Spoonful, The Spencer Davis Group etc. was used.

That's why I really like to listen to Pandora radio. That's what they do, plus they are very good at introducing me to artists I probably wouldn't have found on my own. Once in a while they get it wrong but I haven't used the thumbs-down in quite a while. Thanks to them I also have a station for Christmas songs I actually enjoy! I'm sure Rhapsody and others are the same way.

I bought 'Odessey and Oracle' several years ago, but for a long time I didn't really understand what all the fuss was about. Then one day it just started sinking in somehow, and it quickly became one of my all-time favorite albums. Funny how an album can do that. It's still one of my all-time favorites, I rank it even higher than any of the Beatles' albums.

This came right after the Christmas Show. The Zombies worked hard promoting their singles touring here in the United States. She's Not There and Tell Her No differed from most of the British Invasion songs. Phenomenal lead vocals by Colin Blunstone and superb vocal harmonies led to those reactions by the audience.

I bought 'Odessey and Oracle' several years ago, but for a long time I didn't really understand what all the fuss was about. Then one day it just started sinking in somehow, and it quickly became one of my all-time favorite albums. Funny how an album can do that. It's still one of my all-time favorites, I rank it even higher than any of the Beatles' albums.

I can understand you feeling that way, Joost. Maybe it's the vocals that did it for you.

I bought 'Odessey and Oracle' several years ago, but for a long time I didn't really understand what all the fuss was about. Then one day it just started sinking in somehow, and it quickly became one of my all-time favorite albums. Funny how an album can do that. It's still one of my all-time favorites, I rank it even higher than any of the Beatles' albums.

That's not a surprise, because Odessey And Oracle is usually considered as the British Pet Sounds. Of course, the Zombies' album is different since it is much less produced (a merit in my opinion), but in terms of melodies and harmonies they are similar recordings. For example, I've always thought that the beautiful end of "I Want Her She Wants Me" was inspired by "God Only Knows"; and the opener "Care Of Cell 44" seems to be molded in "Wouldn't It Be Nice".

I just listened to Odessey And Oracle for the first time and you guys weren't kidding; it is an amazing album! The vocals blew me away, especially the harmonies and the way the voices sounded like instrumental parts. (Does that make sense?) Like Pet Sounds it left me feeling like I'd just been to an auditory banquet. The beginning of Beechwood Park sounds a bit like the actual Pet Sounds title track but my favorite has to be A Rose for Emily. Thematically it reminds me of Eleanor Rigby. I also really like Friends of Mine. I don't think I've ever heard a song expressing such joy over someone else's relationship. I like that. Brief Candles is great too. It's all great! I think it's going to sneak into my cart when I do my Amazon Christmas shopping in a bit.

I can understand you feeling that way, Joost. Maybe it's the vocals that did it for you.

I like Colin Blunstone's voice, but he's not one of my favorite singers. I think it's mostly the compositions and the mood of the album that did it for me. I agree with Hombre, this is probably the closest that anyone ever came to making another Pet Sounds.

my favorite has to be A Rose for Emily. Thematically it reminds me of Eleanor Rigby.

That's a good comparison. I also relate "A Rose For Emily" to "Eleanor Rigby" not only because of the lyrics, but because of the minimalist backing instrumentation as well (only a piano in the Zombies' song and only strings in the Beatles' recording).